Victor and Dean locked eyes for a second. Neither of them spoke, but the message was clear. Run.
Both of them took off at once, their boots hammering against the dirt. The forest that had felt slow and heavy only minutes ago now blurred past, each tree flashing by as they sprinted toward the sound. The scream of a woman still cut through the air, sharp and desperate. It dragged them forward like a hook buried in their chests.
They broke through a thick wall of brush, and Dean skidded to a stop. His eyes shot upward.
"What the hell…" Dean muttered, his voice stuck in his throat.
Julie was up there, hanging from a massive tree branch. Her fingers clutched at the bark, her legs kicking uselessly in the air. She had one knee hooked against the trunk, but it wasn't enough. The branch groaned and cracked under her weight, spitting bark flakes down on them.
Dean's eyes narrowed. She was almost thirty feet high above the ground. If she fell, she'd be broken into pieces.
Julie spotted them below. For a second, her face showed relief, but her voice shook as she cried out. "I can't hold on much longer! Please! Help me!"
Dean knowing that she could fall any minute wasted no time and quickly got into action.
He slammed a hand against the rough bark of the trunk. He had never climbed a tree before. But with his abilities coordinating with each other his body seemed to know what to do, even if his brain didn't.
Dean planted a boot against the trunk and hauled himself upward. His arms pulled, his legs shoved, and his body answered without hesitation.
"Hurry... please!" she screamed, her arms shaking.
"I'm coming!" Dean shouted back, his voice sharp and sure.
Halfway up, he pressed his chest against the trunk and sucked in a breath. He forced himself not to look down. The ground already felt too far away. He swallowed and pushed higher.
At the branch, he slid one arm around it, locking himself in place, and edged closer to her. Julie's face was red, sweat pouring. Her fingers trembled, slipping on the bark.
Dean moved closer, one arm hooked tight around the branch. He stretched the other hand toward her. "Give me your arm. Now!"
Julie froze, fear of falling down locking her up.
"Now, goddammit!" Dean shouted. The tone ripped through her panic. She let one hand slip free and grabbed his wrist with everything she had left.
Dean clamped down, his muscles screaming as he yanked her toward him. Her other hand lost the bark completely, and for one sickening second she hung in the air, nothing holding her except his grip.
Her scream split the trees.
"I've got you!" Dean roared. His jaw locked so tight it ached. His arm burned with strain, but he refused to let go. Inch by inch, he dragged her closer.
"Climb up on me!" Dean ordered, his voice rough but commanding. "Use my leg—now!"
Julie obeyed without hesitation. Desperation beat out fear. She shoved her foot against his thigh and scrambled, using his body like a ladder. Dean braced against the trunk, pulled harder, and shoved her upward.
Finally, with a grunt, she swung an arm around the branch beside him. She clung to it with both hands, gasping, her whole body shaking. Dean kept his hand locked on her until she was secure.
For a moment, they both just hung there, panting, neither looking down.
Dean turned his head, sweat stinging his eyes. "You good?"
Julie let out a shaky sigh. "I… I think so."
"Good. Then listen. We're going down together. Follow my instructions. Got it?"
Julie sucked in a shaky breath, trying to steady herself. For a moment, she thought she was fine. But when she shifted her weight, a sharp cry tore out of her throat. Her hand slapped against the branch for balance, her face twisting in agony.
Dean's eyes snapped to her. "What is it?"
"My leg," she gasped, voice thin with pain. "I—I didn't feel it before, but… something's wrong. I think it's broken… or twisted."
Dean cursed under his breath. Adrenaline. That was the only reason she hadn't noticed earlier. Now that the rush was fading, the pain was crashing in hard. And it couldn't have come at a worse time.
He glanced down. The ground looked twice as far as when he climbed up. If she slipped now with that leg, there'd be no saving her.
"Alright," he said, forcing his voice steady, even though his gut clenched. "Then you're not climbing. I'll get you down myself. But you have to listen to me—no arguing, no panic. You just do exactly what I say."
Her breath hitched, but she nodded quickly. Fear and pain left her no choice.
Dean tested his grip against the trunk, then leaned closer. "Wrap your arms around my neck. Hold on like your life depends on it—because it does. Don't let go."
Julie hesitated only a second before she slid one trembling arm over his shoulders, then the other. Her weight pressed heavy against him, but his muscles locked firm.
"Good. Now hook your good leg around my waist. Keep the bad one free."
Julie whimpered as she moved, her face pale with strain. But she obeyed, clutching him tight, clinging like a terrified child.
Dean tightened his arms around her, gritted his teeth, and began the climb down. The bark scraped his back raw, his shoulders burned but his focus never broke.
"Almost there," he muttered, more to himself than her.
Step by step, inch by inch, he lowered them. His arms screamed, but he didn't stop. Julie's body trembled, but she never let go.
Finally, Dean's boots hit the ground. He exhaled hard and lowered her gently onto the dirt, her injured leg stretched out.
Victor asked. "Is she—"
"She's fine," Dean cut him off, firm. His gaze lingered on Julie's pale, sweat-streaked face. "Her leg's messed up bad, though."
What he couldn't understand was how the hell she even get up there. In the show nothing like this had happened and Dean felt that his existence and interference had started some sort of butterfly effect or shit which had now completely deviated the present from the original plot of the show.
Julie winced hard when her foot shifted, biting back a cry. Dean crouched low, scanning her leg. No bone sticking out, no angle that looked wrong. He blew out a tense breath.
"Doesn't look broken," he muttered, more to steady himself than her. "Might just be a sprain. But I'm no damn doctor, so don't move it unless you have to."
Julie nodded quickly, still pale.
Dean sighed. "Now tell me—what the hell were you doing up there?"
...
Meanwhile Tabitha and Ethan ran down the street, both of them breathing hard in the daylight. The town was relatively quiet, and the only sound was their footsteps hitting the pavement. The post office came into view. That was where Boyd stayed.
Tabitha rushed up the steps without stopping. She banged on the door with her fist and pressed the bell again and again.
The door opened a moment later. Boyd stepped out. At first, he looked confused and a tad bit annoyed, but his expression turned serious when he saw their faces.
Sweat ran down Tabitha's face. She struggled to catch her breath but spoke quickly, desperation clear in her voice. "Sheriff, Jim and Julie are gone. They both disappeared."